In a slightly bizarre move, Palin has resigned with only a year and a half left on her term. Her statement:

“Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional lame duck status in this particular climate would just be another dose of politics as usual, something I campaigned against and will always oppose.”

Two other explanations suggested:

“A Republican source close to her political team told CNN’s John King that it was a “calculation” she made that “it was time to move on.” The governor’s “book deal and other issues” were “causing a lot of friction” in her home state, the source said, adding that he believes she is “mapping out a path to 2012.”

Another source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Palin “thinks she has accomplished goals she has set forward. ... She sees what a positive influence she has had on people’s lives from traveling the country in the last year.”

I just watched Palin’s speech on TV. As expected, she was rambling, incoherent, unfocused, and thoroughly irritating. She’s up to something, but if she thinks this is a good move toward the 2012 presidential race she made a serious error of judgement. Her Republican opponents will label her a quitter.

I predict her next gig will be on Fox News. After that, who knows (or really cares)?

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You cannot have a rational conversation with someone who holds irrational beliefs.

She demonstrated a lack of intellectual curiosity and a poor grasp of basic knowledge throughout the presidential campaign, and generally anytime I’ve seen a clip of her since.
She did seem to be effective at making an emotional connection with the far right, religious, irrational crowd by throwing little nuggets to them like “the real America”.
I certainly wouldn’t miss seeing or hearing of her ever again, but like a chronic disease, I think it’s likely she’ll continue to flare up for some time.

It was like a bomb shell… man. OK i’m exaggerating but it was one of those stories that stopped me cold for a retake. { In fact, curiosity about it brought me back to CFI to see what youz’guys was saying. }

Ah, but after listening to various sections of her speech the smoke started to clear.

I’ll bet Palin is way beyond worrying about running for President, or Republican Party strategies ~

She’s got her eye’s on greater messianic dreams.

This darling poster child for the radical fundamentalist christian fringe is going to be making money, big money from here on out.

While doing her best to ratchet up paranoia & hostility in that venerable right wing tradition.

Watch out Coulter and Limbaugh, et.al,
the wildcat from Alaska is moving in.

Having now listened to her full 18 minute announcement (YouTube - MSNBC)
I might make fun of her in private, but I won’t underestimate her.

As far as her constituency I get the feeling she hit an outta the park home run.

Listening to how she drew on Christian symbolism & allusions as she wove her story
I was profoundly frightened at the potential mischief she’s capable of ~ all the creepy messages where there
.......... reading between the lines, I believe, Palin & her ilk truly want to turn their convictions into a real homegrown civil war.

I believe Palin will turn into something big - no more running for office,..
but something more powerful ~ A superstar spreading her ‘god’n guns’ evangelical fundamentalist divisive message: ~ The “pure” America verses all the rest of the unclean hordes ~

We should be afraid, we should be very afraid.

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The Anthropogenic Global Warming Consensus is not formed by scientists !
The Anthropogenic Global Warming Consensus IS formed by the data being gathered !

Did you catch here make-mockery quip about climate change too.
She was referencing a political change-up in her state, causing her to be lame-duck, and hence resigning. “And after the “REAL” Climate Change here in Alaska….” ( 5:51 into the 7min+ video of speech in the NYT clip)
And of course a full 2-3 mins on the patronization of our troops, and how these should be the role model of America., because of their selflessness, and devotion to a great cause. Nevermind the millions of other American who selflessly go to work each day in various occupations, presumably for the furtherance of National Advancement. And anyone could argue, possibly far more effective advancement of National Security, and advancement.

I suspected there would be no love lost with the majority of people on this forum! I am not a big fan of her, either. What I wonder is, what does this resignation mean?

Surely she is not dropping out of political life entirely. She’s had her taste of the spotlight and she is loving it. She wants to keep moving up. To quit seems unlike her, so there must be something bigger in store. Most governors quit due to scandals. However, she’s ridden through scandals already seemingly unphased (pregnant teen daughter, firing of the state trooper, etc.) what could be so bad to make her quit now?

Perhaps she’s going to start “intensive training” for 2012? But she only had a year and a half left on her term. Quitting makes her look bad. Both Democratic and Republican strategists have called her resignation a poor choice on news commentaries. Surely in the presidential primaries, Republican opponents will use it against her. They’ll call her a quitter, and say “How can you trust her?”

But rumor has it she was spending a lot of time on her book deals and speaking engagements and they were getting in the way of acting responsibly as governor. She has lucrative deals lined up. She could make ten times the $125K per year she pulls in as governor. She could live very well for some time just doing a tour circuit. Perhaps that is enough fame and spotlight for her, a fat paycheck signing books and getting paid to have her photo taken with fans?

But hey, maybe this big surprise resignation was just another chance for her to get her face on TV - which seems to be her favorite pastime of all. Maybe she will end up doing the sports on Fox News.

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Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it’s a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe. - Lex Luthor

Perhaps she’s going to start “intensive training” for 2012? But she only had a year and a half left on her term. Quitting makes her look bad. Both Democratic and Republican strategists have called her resignation a poor choice on news commentaries. Surely in the presidential primaries, Republican opponents will use it against her. They’ll call her a quitter, and say “How can you trust her?”

Personally, the scenario above is what I’m hoping will happen. If she runs and the repubs pick her, it’ll be a for-sure ‘nother 4 years for Obama!